A Life To Remember
by amycharys
Summary: Hermione and George, bit slow at first, but definate heating up later
1. Chapter 1

**A thought for a story popped into my head for George and Hermione, so I decided to go with it and see what happens. I haven't written anything in a while and know I have unfinished fics, but I've matured and think that I can do well with this, so help me along please :) **

**Also, this is set well after the books ended, and I am changing a few things, making characters a little different etc, so if you don't like it you have been warned.**

**It will be sexually explicit and have course language, hence the M rating. But I hope for this to be more fluffy than violent, all happy smile etc, I'm not one for violence and hatred in stories, so I am going to try and avoid it.**

*--*

**Prologue**

Hermione was 21 years old and starting to think that settling down with someone she could spend the rest of her life with was starting to sound like a plan for her. Harry and Ginny were happily married and in their own little place not far from the Burrow, and she and Ron had decided that after two years of dating, they wouldn't work as a couple, but that had ended almost a year earlier and now she felt ready to move on with her life.

She had had her eye on a certain someone, she always had, but she never thought they would reciprocate her admiration. Now she decided she needed to let them know if she was ever to find out if she was following a dead end path.

He was sat on the low stone wall outside and she could clearly see him through the kitchen window of the house. His red hair was waving in the slight breeze and the muscles of his back rippled under his tshirt as he flexed his upper arms and legs. She liked his body, toned from years of Quidditch and from his new lease of life away from Hogwarts and away from his mother's smothering attentions. The summers spent by the lake swimming sprang to her mind as Hermione remembered the way his board shorts had clung, only just, to his hips giving her the opportunity to see as much as she had desired to.

But as she admired from a safe distance, Hermione wondered whether it would be a wise decision to pursue this man, for it would be awkward for a many number of reasons. She kept her eyes on him for a few minutes more before he jumped of the wall. As he turned to look towards the house, she ducked her head down, pretending to wash pots while he walked round into the house. She turned round and rested her back against the low counter tops and sighed...

"...... Oh, George Weasley, what do you do to me?"

*--*

Let me know what you think?

Thankyou :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter One**

Ginny had been stood in the doorway watching her best friend lust after one of her brothers for at least ten minutes before Hermione had turned around. Everyone knew that Hermione had feelings for George, everyone except George that was.

"So what does George do to you?" Ginny asked, catching Hermione off guard.

"Oh, I didn't see you there." Hermione blushed realising she'd been caught out by one of the people she would rather not know about her feelings for George.

"It's OK, we all know, everyone knows. Even Ron's spotted it, the way you two look at each other, the only people who haven't realised ARE you two!" Ginny laughed. "Come on, Hermione, Ron's moved on, don't you think it's your turn to find someone who you can be happy with too? If you're worried about Ron might react, I wouldn't. He's with Lavender again, and they're both happy, I even know that he feels she could be The One."

"Really? I didn't realise." Hermione knew that Ron and Lavender had been together from only a few weeks after herself and Ron had split up, but she didn't know that he had such strong feelings for Lavender. "Maybe I should, I deserve happiness, don't I?"

"You do, you know you do, so that was a daft question to ask. Hermione, just go with your heart for once. Forget about your head and logic, love has no logic, we fall in love with the people we're destined to be with and there's nothing you can do about it, no textbook or scientific fact is ever going to make you rationalise your feelings for George."

Hermione knew that Ginny was right, but she just couldn't bring herself to acknowledge that fact. Ginny, sweet, innocent Ginny who still had to come to terms with the big, bad world knew more about the most important emotion the world could throw at you than Hermione herself did, and it made her feel slightly embarrassed that she could be so ignorant to her own heart.

"Ginny, if I talk to George, could you make sure the house is empty to spare my blushes?"

"We're not in school any more, Hermione, but if that's what you want, I'll help you, just let me know when, I know that we haven't been to see family in a long while. Your excuse is that you're not related and George can say that he has to work at the shop. I can get George to talk to you. I feel like such a conspirator." Ginny laughed at both her friend's reversal to a high school teen again and at her own admission that she would enjoy this. Keeping anything from her mother was a challenge and this one would be the biggest one of all.

*--*

Hermione was sat on her make shift bed looking through an old photo album in Ginny's old room later that day when the younger girl peered her head around the door.

"Hey. Everyone was wondering where you'd got to. You OK?" Ginny asked noting the tears welling in the older girl's eyes.

"Yeah. Sorry, just, I was trying to finish unpacking, even though it's been, what, four years? I came across this," Hermione indicated the photo album, holding it aloft, "It's still just so strange them not being here. I mean, I know they're alive, but not being able to go and see them still gets me down sometimes."

Ginny walked over to the bed and sat next to Hermione, placing an arm around her shoulder and giving her a squeeze.

"I would say I understand, but I really don't. But you know that I'm here to talk to if you ever need to, I may not understand, but I'm a damn good listener and shoulder to cry on."

"I know, and that makes me feel so lucky to have at least one family in my life, they may not actually be my own, but I feel as if I am part of the family." Hermione smiled, she knew this was true, the Weasley's had taken her in and offered her love and support through everything the last four years had brought.

"Mum thinks you ARE part of the family, and it would kill her if you ever thought you weren't." Ginny assured her friend. "You have nothing to worry about, you never will with us, I know it's hard not having your own mum and dad, but you know I will always share mine, and you always have the happy memories. You know why they had to do it, why they had to alter their memories, for their own safety, and if they still knew you, you know they would be so proud of you."

Again Hermione was startled by the wisdom that Ginny showed, a wisdom and maturity way beyond her years. And again Hermione felt thankful to have such amazing friends, friends that always stood by each other through thick and thin and never abandoned even when she was being most petty.

Hermione smiled over at Ginny and stood up, walking towards the door. "I think it's time to start putting into action our plan." And with a devilish glint in her eye she left the room and made her way down the stairs and into the living room.

*--*

After dinner that night the Weasley family, minus Ron, waddled into the living room, Mrs Weasley had insisted on doing the washing up, but both Mr Weasley and Hermione had persuaded her to rest herself while they charmed the dish cloths. Dinner that night had been exceptionally brilliant, a fantastic spread with three courses consisting of soup and fresh crispy white rolls to start, a fabulous roast with all the trimmings for main and ginger sponge with custard for desert.

Mr and Mrs Weasley sat on a sofa at the far end of the living room, cuddled together and looking as though they were both starting to drift off, Ginny and Hermione were plonked on the floor in a couple of bean bags, spread out in front of the fire, and Harry was currently being beaten quite spectacularly at Wizard's Chess by George. With Ginny and Harry living so close, Mrs Weasley refused to have them cook their own dinner's, her rationale being that seeing as she didn't have a job she might as well cook for the hard working pair.

Harry rose and smiled at Ginny, "Come on, love, don't you think it's time we got home and to bed before you fall asleep?"

"I think you're right, five more minutes and you'd have been carrying me." Ginny replied, sticking her tongue out at the man she loved. As she heaved herself out of the bean bag she called out to her mother, waking her from her slumber. "Me and Harry are going now, mum. Thanks for dinner, it was wonderful." She hugged her mother before heading back towards Harry near the living room door. Waving at the room they both called their goodbyes and headed out the front door hand in hand.

"I think I should head to bed too," Hermione yawned, lifting herself slowly and languidly out of her own bean bag, "It's going to be a long day tomorrow, it always is after a week off. Night, everyone, see you tomorrow night."

Hermione headed out the living room door and crept up the stairs to the room she now called her own. As she climbed the stairs she began lifting her jumper off over her head, reaching out for the door knob to her room. Stepping inside she closed the door and leaned back against it, remembering how fantastic George had smelt at dinner, remembering how waves of his aftershave had kept being blown across the table from the ajar window. Breathing deeply, she pushed herself off the door and began to change into her modest pyjamas, brushing her hair out of it's ponytail and picking a book from the bookcase to read.

As she climbed into bed she heard a soft creak on the stairs and gentle tapping at her door...


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Two**

Hermione held her breath and stood perfectly still, trying to hear if she knew who it was that was standing outside of her door. Listening as if her life depended on it, Hermione tried to tiptoe across the room without hitting all the creaky floorboards on the way. Reaching the door she peered through the keyhole, for which the key had been either lost or removed many years before. Through the tiny hole in the door she saw a pair of legs clad in jeans, helpful as it wasn't she thought they may have been a pair of men's legs.

"Hermione?" It was definitely a man's voice, maybe not man, could have been boy, but it was definitely male.

"Hello?" Hermione's voice shook slightly as she half whispered, half spoke that single word.

"Can I come in? I feel like a bit of a pillock stood here talking to a door." The male voice replied. Hermione was sure she had heard that voice before, but it sounded different somehow, kind of shy and coy, as if it was embarrassed to be stood outside her door at the late hour of the night.

Hermione stepped back from the door, took hold of the door knob and took a deep breath. Holding the breath she twisted the knob quickly and let the door swing open. On seeing who it was she let the breath out in one relieved sigh and gestured for him to enter.

"Why didn't you open the door when I first knocked?" Harry asked.

"I thought you were someone else." Hermione answered sheepishly, feeling herself go red and looking at the floor, wiggling her feet at she stared.

"I needn't ask who you thought it was, need I?" Harry asked her, knowing fine well that it was George that Hermione had hoped it was.

"I guess Ginny told you, then?"

"Ginny didn't have to tell me, no one has to say anything when it comes to the two of you. Everyone can sense the attraction between you, it's just you two who seem to be ignoring it. But, Ginny did tell me to come talk to you to see if I could talk any sense into you." Harry smiled at one of his oldest friends and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Ginny gave me this speech earlier this morning," Hermione gave Harry a sceptical look, "You have both told me more or less exactly the same thing. I've spoken to Ginny, she knows what's going on, and I thought she would have told you too."

"Ginny doesn't tell me everything you know, we do have some secrets from each other, like our girly conversations." Harry motioned to the bed. "Come sit down, this is going to be a long one I think."

The two friends moved over to the bed and sat down side by side. Hermione looked at Harry and smiled, in her mind she knew that he was only doing what he was told, she knew that he was also doing this for her own good. He always had been an amazing friend, protecting everyone who was close to him, it was just a tragic shame that he had lost so many of those people in his short life.

"So, Harry, how can I make this quicker and a little less painful?" Hermione smirked.

"You can stop being a high school teen deeply in crush." Harry laughed. "Why you felt the need to hatch a plan with Ginny to get everyone out the house while you spoke to George is beyond me. You've always been so confident and always known exactly what you wanted. Why is this so different?"

"Teen deeply in crush? Where on earth did you pick that up from? And I thought you said that Ginny had told you nothing? There's some double crossing going on here."

"OK, so Ginny did tell me some things, but it really is for you, Hermione."

"I admit it, I am a little worried about what would happen if I spoke to George, especially as I already dated his younger brother. I don't want to be humiliated in front of a house full of his family, who would I go to? Who would I be able to talk to about it?"

"You wouldn't be humiliated and you know that you have Ginny to talk to abut anything and everything. She's like a sister to you, and you know that one day she will be a sister to you. I think all you need to do is walk straight on up to George and talk to him, get everything out in the open, it makes sense. It's a lot better than sitting in your room moping about." Harry reasoned with her.

"I know I must seem like a real moaner just sitting in my room all day, everyday, but it's the only way to keep myself under control in front of him. I know he's at the shop most of the time, but until I get a job myself and find a way to release some of my energy I'm going to keep staying out of the way. Or until George knows, but only if he takes it in a good way." Hermione was trying with all her might to explain, but it just wasn't coming out of her mouth how it sounded in her head and she could see Harry's mouth starting to turn up at the corners and his shoulders starting to shake.

"This is fun, we should do it more often," Harry forced himself to keep a straight face, "However, now you know everything you know, you should just tell George. I'm going to go now, Ginny expected me back ages ago, but we'll see you tomorrow and hopefully there will be a development on the George front."

Harry stood and walked quietly over to the door, opening it he turned and waved at Hermione before disappearing into the black of the stairwell. Hermione stood and went to close her door, waving back at the memory of Harry at the door, thinking hard about what he'd said. Shutting the door she turned round and walked back to the bed, sitting heavily, before swinging her body round and laying down, pulling the duvet over herself. She turned off the lights and as soon as her head hit the pillow she was asleep, sleeping a sleep full of dreams of George.

*--*

Hermione awoke quite early the next morning, her head swimming, so she decided to go downstairs to have a cup of tea in the quiet and read the morning paper, see if that would clear her head. She made her way out of her bedroom and down the stairs to the kitchen, humming quietly as she went, running her hand along the smooth, wonky banister. Stepping off the last step and doing a U turn into the kitchen, Hermione saw that she wasn't the only one who was awake at such an ungodly hour.

A flash of red hair went across the door of the kitchen and Hermione knew that it could only be one person, at least she hoped it could only be one person. Walking through the slightly too low down kitchen doorway she saw him, his bare back to her, the low slung pyjama bottoms clinging to his hips, hanging just above his ankles, the vertical alternating blue and white stripes elongating his legs even more. Coughing to alert him to her presence, she sat herself into one of the less damaged chairs around the modest kitchen table.

George turned swiftly, clearly taken off guard and Hermione got to see the full expanse of his chest. He had grown up so much since those summers by the lake, faint red hairs spattered his chest, and there was a trail of slightly darker hairs running from just below his naval to somewhere beneath his pyjamas.

"Hermione!" He gasped, leaning back against the worktop, steadying himself from the sudden shock in the silence of the morning.

"Morning, George." Hermione smiled.

The two of them just looked at each other, drinking in the sight of each other, each thinking the same thing, but not sure how to broach it. Hermione stood again and walked over to the kettle, picking it up and manually filling it with water, she placed it back on the hob and lit it. Reaching up to the cupboard for a decent sized mug, she gestured to George.

George however was paying no attention to Hermione's silent question of did he want a cup of tea. He was too busy looking at the long legs disappearing up into her thigh length shorts and the breasts only just concealed by her vest top when she stretched to get mugs.

"George?" Hermione again caught him off guard with her one word question.

"Um, no, thanks, I'm good." George replied, noticing the second mug in Hermione's hand.

"You seem a bit on edge this morning. You OK?" Hermione asked.

"I'm fine, just, got stuff in my head, you know, like, that you need to get out but you don't know how it will turn out if you do kind of thing."

"I know exactly what you mean. If you ever need to talk, you know where I am." Hermione told him finishing making her cup of tea and taking both it and the morning newspaper into the living room to relax on the sofa.

Hermione hoped that what she thought George was thinking was what he was thinking. Settling herself on the sofa she also hoped that he would follow her through to the living room so that she could say what she needed to say to him before anyone else in the house awoke and disturbed them. Surely now was just a good a time as any to do it?


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Three**

Hermione couldn't wait any longer, it felt like she'd been sat on the sofa for hours on end, she was desperate for the toilet and had a cold, empty tea mug in her hand. George obviously wasn't going to be talking to her today about whatever was on his mind, so she rose from the sofa, laying the newspaper on the coffee table and proceeded into the kitchen to discard the empty mug. Entering the kitchen Hermione noticed the distinct lack of George and wondered where he had gone, had it not been for her desperation for the toilet she would have gone and looked for him, however, as circumstances were she climbed the stairs instead and headed into the bathroom. Deep in thought Hermione closed the bathroom door behind her, not realising that there was already a certain someone using the shower in the tiny room. Plonking herself down on the toilet Hermione suddenly came to her senses and shrieked, alerting George to her presence in the bathroom.

Sticking his head round the shower curtain, George looked at Hermione on the toilet, mid flow and trying her hardest to ensure that every intimate part of her was covered over by something.

"Hermione? Have you ever heard of knocking before entering a closed door?" George asked, sticking his tongue out and laughing at his own joke.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise, I thought it would be free so early in the morning." Hermione stuttered, blushing to the very roots of her hair.

George couldn't help but smile to himself as Hermione looked down at her toes, she really was the brightest and most beautiful witch of her age, and in his eyes she always would be. He just couldn't believe that Ron had let her go, it was probably the stupidest thing he had ever done, and something he would also most likely live to regret, especially now that George had his eye on her.

"George?" Hermione was looking at him with a slightly mortified look on her face.

"Yeah?"

"Could you please disappear back behind your curtain while I sort myself out?" Hermione asked, once again blushing the deepest of reds.

"Oh, um, yeah, sure." George mumbled, letting the shower curtain swish back into place. He heard the sound of the toilet being flushed, then the taps being turned on and off and finally the door closing behind Hermione as she left the bathroom.

Placing one hand against the tiles to balance himself and running the other hand through his mop of wet hair, George sighed aloud. He could feel his body responding to the thoughts that were running through his head, to seeing Hermione's creamy thighs and just a small patch of pubic hair that she had missed covering in her embarrassment. Shaking his head he turned the heat of the shower down and told himself, mentally, that he had to keep his body under control. He had promised himself at the very beginning that there would be no playing with himself in any way, shape or form while he was in love with Hermione unless she was his forever.

*--*

Hermione meandered her way halfway back down the stairs towards the kitchen, then decided against it as the rest of the Weasley family would probably start waking soon, so meandered back up the stairs to her bedroom. Getting a book out of the box of still unpacked things, she lay on the bed and started to read. It was an old favourite of hers from when she was a young child still living in the Muggle world before she even know anything of Witches, Wizards and magic, let alone Hogwarts. The reason it was such a favourite of hers was that it was a supposedly make believe story about a young wizarding family and all the trials and tribulations they went through. It amused her to think that in the whole first decade of her life she was completely oblivious about the world she know knew, lived in and loved so much. Reading the book now she laughed out loud, she couldn't decide whether it was a wizards writing the story and exaggerating on real life wizarding encounters, or a muggle writing the story and being completely fictional, thinking that such a way of life could never exist.

Hearing a creak on the stairs, Hermione could just imagine Ron walking past her door, some nights he stayed here and other nights at Harry's. Hermione knew it was because he was trying to avoid her until he could finally move into the house he had bought with his long term girlfriend. He had been with her for quite some time now and loved her immensely, but Hermione knew that there would always be a soft spot for herself in Ron's heart.

They both knew and had worked out that they would never work together, Hermione was too intellectual and preferred going to see cultural sights such as the Louvre in France, or complex ballets performed by the Russians. Ron was into Quidditch, always had been, always would be, and was quite a selfish lover. He had demanded more time for sex than anything else in their relationship and though there was lots of it, and he was rather adequate, Hermione never felt anything spectacular. She had spoken to Ginny about it on many occasions, about how the earth was supposed to move, or there should be a rush of pure love at climax, but Hermione never felt any of it, and it was this that ultimately told her that she and Ron weren't meant to be, even though it had seemed their destiny to be with each other forever.

Again there was a creak on the stairs and Hermione laid her book down and went to the bedroom door to investigate, surely Ron couldn't be down with breakfast already, and there was no one else sleeping in the room higher than hers. Padding over to the door, she opened it a fraction and glanced out into the landing. Instead of Ron walking back up the stairs to his room to get ready like she had suspected, she saw George pacing in front of her bedroom door, looking a bit frazzled and very nervous.

"George?" Hermione thought to herself as she got his attention that she seemed to be saying his name as a question a lot more frequently the last few days than she ever had in the whole time she had known him.

"Oh, hey, Hermione." George couldn't help but relish the way that her name rolled off his tongue when he said, it just seemed so right to be saying her name.

"You want to come in?" Hermione asked, opening the door wide and waving her arm towards her room.

"Sure." George walked into the room and was surprised to see that after all the years that Hermione had been living at the Burrow, she still hadn't managed to unpack yet. It was so unlike her to be disorganised, but maybe it was the pain of never seeing her parents again that had made her like this, made her so reclusive and lacking the passion she always used to have for everything in her life, that and maybe her and Ron's realisation that it was never to be contributed to her slinking into a way of life she was unused to. Or, perhaps she just needed someone to love her for her again, unconditionally instead of out of pity.

Hermione crossed the short gap to her bed and sat down, gesturing for George to do the same. Shaking his head he started to pace her bedroom, instead of the landing. Bowing his head so that he didn't have to look directly at Hermione, George cleared his throat.

"Hermione, I know that to you I'm just an older brother who's concerned about you, and in some respect I am, but I need you to know that I love you and would never want to do anything to hurt you." That's how it sounded in his head anyway, in actual fact he could never say it so outright and be so forward with Hermione, he needed to ease them both gently into something, that's if something ever came of them.

"Hermione?"

Hermione looked up at him and knew that it was now, that today would be the day, that this moment in her bedroom would be the moment that defined her and George's relationship. His hair an unruly mop atop his head, and getting more unruly every time he ran his hand through it. Hermione couldn't help but notice the glints of amber, red and blonde that flashed through his hair, highlighted by the sun streaming through her window. They gave his hair a depth and added to his character as a person, so many colours in his hair mirroring the many different personalities he had.

"Hermione, I dunno, I'm not sure, that is, how I'm supposed to say this." George stumbled over his words just wishing that he could say outright to her how he really felt.

"George, I know. I think I do anyway. I'm sure that what you have to say is so very similar to what I have to say. So, here it goes..." Hermione was about to confess her love, or rather, like, for George when the trademark Molly Weasley screech reached their ears.

Heading down the stairs for the second time that day, Hermione couldn't believe just how unlucky she could have been, she had had the perfect chance to finally talk to George, and now Ron had probably done something stupid so Molly would have reverted back to treating everyone like children again.

*--*

Entering the kitchen George and Hermione both noticed that it was a family affair that had had Molly screaming at the top of her lungs. In the centre of it all was Harry and Ginny, looking very smug with themselves, or something very similar at least.

"Everyone, we have something we need to tell you all." Harry announced, looking proud as punch, the grin on his face almost splitting his face in two.

"We're pregnant!" Ginny exclaimed grinning just as broadly as her other half.

"Well, Ginny's pregnant, but we just found out last night. We thought that as out closest friends and family you should know first before the press gets hold of it." Harry explained.

Hermione ran around the table and gave her best friend and his wife a huge hug, smiling and tearing up at the same time.

"I'm so happy for you two, it couldn't have happened to a better couple." She congratulated, stepping back to allow the rest of the family in to give theirs too.

Standing back and watching the happy scene unfold in front of her, Hermione couldn't help but day dream about there one day being a day when she would be the centre of such a glorious scene, and she knew exactly who she wanted it to be stood by her side, one hand protectively placed around her shoulders.

"Right, everyone, as a special congratulations, I want you all to go and get ready as quickly as possible and we're going to take everyone to brunch." Mr Weasley shouted above the noise of the elated giggles and well dones in the cramped kitchen.

Since the fall of Voldemort and the end of the dark times in the wizarding world Mr Weasley had shot up through the Ministry of Magic and the family had become quite well off now, though they preferred to stay in their little ramshackle, magical house and preferred to keep living modestly, only spending when occasion called for it, and today, occasion definitely called for it. As the Weasley family and Hermione hurried upstairs to get themselves dressed and washed, George sat with Harry and Ginny at the kitchen table.

"I bungled it."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Four**

The Weasley family and extras were sat around a generous table in a very upmarket restaurant later that morning. It was a new restaurant, purple and green themed with food that matched, cupcakes with purple icing and green cherries, purple jams for toast and croissants and green tea. The tables were adorned with expensive cloths and highly polished silver, china cups and saucers sitting to the side of each place setting.

Sitting next to George, Hermione could have cut the tensions between them with one of those sterling silver knives. Electricity zipped between them and Hermione thought she would melt the way her body was heating up from just being this close to the man she admired.

Reaching over for the butter dish just in front of George, Hermione accidentally brushed her hand against the top of his muscled arm, feeling the static from his shirt shock her bare skin. Jumping, she rubbed her hand and laughed, looking up at George who laughed back at her. He must have felt the shock too, Hermione thought as he rubbed his arm.

In actual fact, the shock he had felt was no to his arm, but to his heart, a shock of electricity reminding him of just how amazing Hermione was to him and just how much he was missing out on by not telling her exactly how he felt. Thinking hard about it, he knew that there was only one way he could tell her without actually telling her, and starting forming the plan in his mind. He knew it had to be subtle, kept between the two of them, but something that would be a big enough statement for her to realise just what he meant.

Chatter flowed easily over the next few hours as the family and friends sat in easy company and whiled away the morning. Following brunch, Mr Weasley suggested that they should spend the day looking at all things baby related, to which Mrs Weasley automatically burst into tears, throwing herself on her husband and showering his cheeks with kisses, much to the massive humiliation of her children. This would be the first Weasley for the new generation and it meant so much to everyone around the table, a new life signalling a new start to the wizarding world.

*--*

Walking through Diagon Alley, her arm linked with Ginny's, Hermione still couldn't comprehend the fact that there was a life growing inside her best friend, but at the same time her body was crying out for the same circumstance.

"Ginny, doesn't it scare you?"

"Doesn't what scare me?" Ginny asked, being pulled from her daydream.

"The fact that there is another person growing inside you, and that you'll steadily get bigger over the next few months?" Hermione reiterated.

"No, not really," Ginny shrugged, "It did at first, I mean, when the test came out positive I was terrified, but after a while it sunk in that I would be mother. And seeing what a wonderful job my own mum did with the rabble she had, I knew somehow that I would be able to cope. The thing that worried me the most was that Harry wouldn't find me attractive any more, that he would be repulsed by the stretch marks and the swelling of various parts of my body."

"Did you talk to Harry about that?" Hermione asked, concern on her face.

"Oh, yes, of course I did. He told me everything would be fine, that I could never look unattractive to him. He told me that pregnancy and birth were not only very natural, but also very beautiful."

"He's so sweet! I can't wait to find myself a man like him. Merlin knows I need one." Hermione laughed.

"You will, Hermione, everyone does at some stage in their life. George would be an amazing husband, I can guarantee that." Ginny walked and sped up to catch up with her husband.

Hermione stopped in front of Flourish and Blotts as the rest of the group carried on. Out of the corner of her eye she had spotted a book and realised, as if a light bulb had gone off in her head, what she wanted to do with her life now that everything seemed to be falling into place. The book was entitled 'Magic for the Masses' and had a picture of a broadly smiling young witch on the front. Walking into the bookshop, Hermione picked up a copy of the book and read the back, discovering that it was written by a witch who taught those magical folk who couldn't get to a school, either through illness or through disability. She also taught Squibs, non-magical people born into magical families. Hermione knew in an instant that she wanted to be a home school professor too and took the book up to the counter to pay for it. Handing over the correct amount for the price of the book, Hermione thanked the man behind the counter and turned round to leave the shop.

Leaving the shop, Hermione opened the book and started to read, as a person who could never put a book down, a new book was the biggest excitement she got these days. Lost in the book and the accomplishments that this witch had gotten out of home schooling, Hermione walked straight past her friends and into a nearby lamp post. Falling on the floor, Hermione was sure she saw stars like in the comedy film cartoons she had watched as a child, before falling into a black unconsciousness.

Coming round only seconds later, Hermione saw six concerned faces looming above her, tears falling from the face of Mrs Weasley.

"Hermione, dear, we were so worried when we saw you fall like that, you gave us quite a scare. Are you OK?"

"Um, yeah, I think so. My head's a bit sore though." Hermione lifted her hand to her head and felt a rather large bump had appeared. Wincing, she went to stand up and felt a pair of strong, safe arms under her arms, aiding her and she wobbled.

"Here, Hermione, take my arm, I''ll take you home." George offered out the said arm and guided Hermione through the crowds of witches and wizards in Diagon Alley back to the Leaky Cauldron.

Arriving at the wizards favourite pub, George steered Hermione to the overly large fireplace in the back of the pub, placed her gently underneath it and proffered the vase of Floo Powder. Taking a sufficient handful, Hermione threw it to her feet and clearly said 'The Burrow', feeling herself being hurled through and past the fireplaces en route she started to feel quite nauseous. Flying out of the fireplace back at home, she rushed over to the sink, not quite reaching it in time, and threw up all over the flagged stones of the kitchen.

George flew out of the fireplace just in time to see Hermione collapse in a torrent of tears. Rushing around the kitchen table he saw why. Muttering a quick cleaning spell, he gathered Hermione in his arms and carried her up the stairs to her bedroom, placing her on the bed and covering her over with her favourite old blanket. Heading back down the stairs to make sure he had cleaned up all of Hermione's vomit, he heard the rest of the family returning.

"George?" He heard his name being called by his mother.

Entering the kitchen the smell of vomit hit him and he realised he mustn't have cleaned up the mess properly. Walking round the table he saw he had only enlarged what had already been there in the first place. He deduced that he must have muttered the wrong spell in his haste to make sure that Hermione had been OK.

"Sorry, I thought I had cleaned it up." George laughed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Is she OK? I'm not bothered about the mess." Mrs Weasley berated him, flicking her wand at the spreading mass of vomit and making vanish in the blink of an eye.

"I think she's just a little shook up and embarrassed." George replied. "I've put her into her bed and was just coming to get her a glass of water and some pain relief for her head."

"OK, well, here you go." Mrs Weasley reached into one of the many mismatched kitchen cupboards and pulled out a bottle of something green and bubbling, from which the label must have fallen off years ago. "ONE spoonful of this should relieve the pain and ease her to sleep for a couple of hours."

George ran a glass of cold water, took the bottle from his mother along with a spoon and headed back up the stairs. Entering Hermione's room he saw that she had curled the blanket around herself and was shivering. Walking over to the bed he placed the items in his hands onto the night stand and sat on the edge of the bed.

"You OK?" He asked, worried that she was a lot worse than she looked, and hoping she looked a lot worse than she really was.

"I just feel really cold and shaky and my head is killing me." Hermione looked mournful, her eyes filling with tears. "I don't feel very comfortable either."

"You want me to get mum to come help you get into some pyjamas, or Ginny?" He asked.

"No, it's OK, you can help. Just don't peek, OK?"

"I promise I won't. Where are your pyjamas?"

Hermione directed him to the pyjama drawer of her dresser and asked him to get her the thickest pair he could find for her as well as some thick, fluffy socks. Finding a pair of the pinkest, fluffiest socks and a pair of the thickest flannel pyjamas, George headed back over to the bed and helped Hermione take her shoes, socks, coat and cardigan off, then, like he promised, he left the room while she undressed and redressed herself again. Laying her back into her bed he covered Hermione with both the duvet and her blanket, fed her a spoonful of the medicine his mother had given him and propped her on her pillows. Standing up and ready to leave her to sleep peacefully, he felt Hermione tug on the sleeve of his shirt.

"Please don't leave me alone just yet." She begged, her eyes large and disneyfied.

George, not being able to resist the puppy dog look, sat back down on the bed and placed his arm around Hermione, pulling her into his chest. He felt her snuggle into him and as the minutes passed he heard her breathing pattern change and heard little snuffly snore coming from her. Kissing her on the forehead, George laid Hermione down, covered her over one last time, then left her room, closing the door behind him on the way out.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Five**

Hermione awoke several hours later feeling better than she had done when she first entered the Burrow via the fireplace. Feeling hot, she pushed the duvet and blanket off herself, somehow they had managed to become all tangled around her body while she had slept, and removing them proved more difficult than she had anticipated. Sitting upright, Hermione remembered that in her dazed sleep she thought that she had felt George kiss her forehead. Maybe it was sleep or the medication that had made her think it had happened, or maybe it had been real, she couldn't be sure, but for now, just the idea that it had happened put a smile on her sleepy face.

Heading to the door to her bedroom, she grabbed her dressing gown, the room suddenly felt a lot colder now she was out of her bed. Popping to the toilet on her way to the living room Hermione went to rub her hand through her hair and winced as she brushed over the huge lump on her forehead. Suddenly it all came flooding back to her, the lamp post that had appeared as if from thin air and the vomiting in the kitchen and having to be aided into bed by George. Blushing, she flushed the toilet and washed her hands, looking in the mirror above the sink she saw the massive purple bruise on her raised brow.

Walking slowly down the stairs and using the banister for support, Hermione wondered what sort of a reaction she would get from the Weasley's. Knowing Mrs Weasley, she would fuss over Hermione no end until she knew that she was definitely better, Mr Weasley following suit. Her main concern was how she, herself, would react seeing George after he had witnessed one of the most humiliating moments of Hermione's life.

Entering the living room, Hermione found herself being embraced by George first before he led her to a spot on the sofa where he had previously been sat. She saw the concern on his face and tried to smile confidently at him, but it just wouldn't come, she couldn't even look him directly in the eye for the fear he would tease her mercilessly. Little did she know how he was feeling at the moment, the feeling of helplessness he had felt when he had seen Hermione nearly kill herself.

"Hermione? How are you feeling?" He asked her, taking hold of one of her small hands in both of his much larger ones.

"Better, much better, I just forgot about the egg I'm now carrying around with me." She tried to joke, laughing pitifully at her own jest.

"You gave us such a scare," Mrs Weasley said, coming over and sitting herself next to the young witch, placing a wisdomous hand around her slim shoulders, "We thought you'd done yourself some real damage. Not that you haven't, but we thought it had been a lot lot worse."

Hermione smiled at everyone as the crowded around her and tried to wiggle backwards to get some space between herself and everyone else, becoming claustrophobic as their faces came closer. Physically pushing herself backwards with her free hand, she hoped they would take the hint and leave her be before she died of embarrassment.

"I think she needs some space." George said, lifting one of his hands from Hermione's and using his arm to push everyone back. "How about I make you something to eat and take you back up to bed?"

"I think that would be OK." Hermione smiled up at him, meeting his eyes for the first time and seeing genuine care there, not frivolity and merriment.

Pulling her up and out of the squashed sofa, George took Hermione's left hand in his right and led her into the kitchen. Placing her into one of the mismatched chairs, he took two sliced of white bread from the bread bin and plopped them into the toaster, turning the timer, he pushed them down and went to get the butter from the pantry. Coming back to sound of the toast popping back up, he grabbed a knife from the cutlery drawer and proceeded to the chopping board. Extracting the toast, he buttered it generously, placing each slice onto a plate after cutting them into little triangles.

Hermione stood and followed George out of the kitchen and up to the room she had left less than an hour ago. Waiting until she was back in bed, George sat next to Hermione and passed her the plate of buttery sustenance. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders while she ate, George admired the cute way she nibbled at the toast, then licked her fingers after every piece before moving onto the next. When she was finished, Hermione passed the empty plate back to her friend, smiling and thanking him for his kindness.

"It's no problem, my pleasure in fact." Meaning it more than he though Hermione knew.

"You don't have to do all this for me, you know?" Hermione blushed as she heard herself saying things she didn't mean.

"I do. If I didn't, who would?" George laughed as Hermione blushed some more. "I think you should get some more sleep, you still look pretty tired to me. Even still, you still look very pretty also."

Hermione couldn't believe what she had heard. Or did her bruised brain just make her think she'd said it? Leaning down, George did something that Hermione definitely felt, and raising her hand she gently touched the spot on her head where he had kissed her so tenderly. Hermione looked up into George's face and smiled back at the one she received.

"Get some sleep." George instructed, weaving his arm from around her shoulders and quietly exiting her room.

Hermione drifted into a sleep filled with George themed dreams.

AN I know this is very short, but I just thought where it ended was where the chapter should also end.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Six**

Hermione awoke the next morning having slept through the night dreaming sweet dreams and felt fully refreshed. She still had a nasty bruise on her forehead, but the pain was no longer there when she reached up to gingerly feel her head. Stretching she forced herself to get out of her nice, warm and cosy bed and get herself washed and dressed before going downstairs to get something substantial to eat. She wandered slowly down the stairs, day dreaming as she went. She knew for definite now that George had kissed her forehead the first time, and she was fully awake when he did it the second. There was no doubt in her mind what so ever that Ginny was right when she said that George liked Hermione. Yesterday had proved it all, the way he had looked after her, the way he had been so concerned and caring, and the tender touch of his hands and lips. Hermione smiled to herself, pulling herself together and walked into the kitchen.

"Hermione, dear, how are you feeling this morning?" Mrs Weasley came around the table from the stove and hugged the young girl.

"Much better, thank you." Hermione genuinely smiled at Mrs Weasley for the first time in twenty-four hours.

"That's fantastic. I see you still have quite a bruise there, I'll get you something to get rid of it." And Mrs Weasley wandered into the confusingly large pantry.

Hermione turned her attention to the blue sky outside of the window and the birds tweeting in the trees. She couldn't help but think to herself what a beautiful day it was and how it would be a shame to waste such a day sat inside the house.

Hearing Mrs Weasley coming back to the kitchen with an ointment for her head, Hermione was pulled from her thoughts. Lifting her head up so Mrs Weasley could see more clearly, Hermione felt a warm, soothing, tingling liquid being wiped across her brow, and when she went to look in the mirror in the hallway, she saw that her bruise was rapidly shrinking in size and her head was returning to it's natural colour. Returning to the table saw found that Mrs Weasley had left a hearty plate of bacon and eggs on the table, along with a hastily scribbled note. Picking it up, Hermione began to read while starting on her deliciously perfect fried eggs.

_Hermione,_

_I have gone into Diagon Alley for a few supplies for the house, please feel free to do as you wish while I am gone. I should be back late afternoon. Use this time to further your relationship with George._

_Molly_

Hermione's eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she had read. She read it again, twice over to take it in, surely Mrs Weasley wouldn't be this forward? It was too out of character for her, so Hermione decided to get in touch with who she deemed to be the real culprit behind this set up.

Grabbing some Floo Powder, Hermione threw into the fireplace with force and shouted 'The Tunnels' before sticking her head into the green flames. Trying to ignore the tickling on her neck, Hermione shouted into the empty cottage kitchen several times before the person she wanted to have words with appeared with a rather large and smug grin on their face.

"Ginny Weasley! How could you put your mother up to this?!" Hermione shrilled, hating hearing her voice like this, but she felt the tone was needed in the instance.

"When she saw how George fussed over you yesterday she kind of figured it out on her own anyway, it just took a lot of persuasion to leave you two alone for the day. Believe me, that woman did not want to leave you alone in the house, you know what she's like, chastity before marriage and all that." Ginny shrugged at her friend's head.

Hermione shook her head. "I can't believe you actually went through with our plan to get me and George alone. After all, you were the one who said it was as if I had returned to high school." She poked her tongue out at her red headed friend.

"Well, I figured you needed the push, anyway, what's so wrong with it, you got the time alone, now use it well." Ginny laughed before pushing her friend's head back into the Burrow's kitchen.

Hermione sat on her heels, thinking about how she was going to go about today. Then, remembering that the day was so beautiful, she raced upstairs to get some suitable clothes on before packing up a picnic in the kitchen into an old fashioned wooden basket, covering it with a blanket.

Hearing movement behind her, Hermione turned around and smiled at the ruffled person in front of her.

"I thought you lived above the shop?"

"I do, but after the turn you gave us all yesterday, I couldn't leave the Burrow and leave you here alone, could I?" George mumbled.

"Awww, so you do care?" Hermione teased. "Come on, get dressed, we're going for a leisurely walk in the sun before the weather turns cold for the winter."

George didn't say a thing, but turned around obediently and shuffled back up to his old room to get himself dressed, taking great care in what he chose. He wanted to make a good impression for the first time that he and Hermione were together. He picked out his favourite boxers, jeans and shirt, spraying himself with a deodorant that he thought Hermione would like before getting dressed. Before heading back to the waiting girl in the kitchen, George checked his appearance one last time, and satisfied he looked good enough, made his way back down stairs, taking the basket that Hermione was holding and led her out of the back door.

*--*

Sat under a large oak tree in one of the many fields surrounding the Burrow's rather small yard, Hermione and George laughed at stories from when they were at Hogwart's together and separately, drinking fizzy apple juice and eating pumpkin pasties.

"I can't believe you broke so many rules!" Hermione exclaimed. "Wait, I take that back, that was a stupid thing to say."

"I was never an academic person, I much preferred doing what I do now, inventing and selling to unsuspecting witches and wizards." George laughed.

"How is the business now? You don't seem to be at the shop very often any more." Hermione enquired.

"Well, me and Fred figured that we needed to slow down our inventive sides now, we need to keep the new stuff going, obviously, but if do it all at once, then people will lose interest if we don't bring out any new jokes. That and there's no need for me to be at the shop constantly now we have dedicated sales staff. We pop in occasionally to make sure everything's running smoothly, but other than that, now the Weasley face is known, we don't need to show it as often." George pulled a daft grin, similar to the one that appeared on the posters advertising the shop.

"That's great, George. I didn't know it had done that well for you. You and Fred must be so pleased with yourselves, though I think the grin on your face does kind of say it all." Hermione laughed, a laugh that was filled with sunshine and sounded bells tinkling from far away.

"You know, you should come see it again, we've done so much to it since the last time you came, I think you'd like it more now you're starting to relax a bit." George suggested.

"I think I might, though it might not just be for the shop." Hermione replied coyly.

George smiled and picked up another pumpkin pasty, taking a large bite before replacing it on the plate and laid back on his elbows to look up at the clear sky. Drifting into a daydream, he didn't notice that Hermione had laid herself fully flat on the floor and was gazing into some far off point some where in the sky. George laid himself back and laid his arms slowly down to his sides, accidentally placing one on top of Hermione's. Hermione jumped at the sudden contact and scooted a bit further from George, lifting herself into a sitting position and starting to pack everything back into the wicker basket.

"Your mum will be home soon," She said a little breathlessly, "We should get going."

Standing up, she saw George follow suit and began to walk down the hill towards the Burrow, swinging the basket absent mindedly in her hands. Walking into the yard as the sun slowly began it's descent, Hermione suddenly felt George take a hold of the basket in one hand and then hers in the other.

"What are you doing?" Hermione whispered.

"This is my way of showing everyone how much you mean to me, without it being too forward. Hopefully it's also showing you how much I like you." George looked away, blushing.

"Oh, George." Hermione gasped.

George laced his fingers through Hermione's and led her towards the house. Just to the side of the kitchen, before they came into view of anyone looking out of the window, George leant down and gently pressed a kiss to Hermione's lips.


	8. Chapter 8

AN I know the chapters have been getting shorter, but now I've established a link between George and Hermione, they should get longer again.

**Chapter Seven**

Hermione was dumbstruck, Ginny had told her that George liked her, but she hadn't truly believed it until that moment. Letting herself be led into the house Hermione felt four pairs of eyes focussing on hers and George's linked hands. Shaking her head slightly, she jolted her herself back into reality and gazed at the four faces waiting expectantly.

"Well?" Ginny enquired.

"I think that I am right in saying that this is going to be the start of something very special." George smiled.

There were many hugs and kisses on the cheek, smiling and tears from Mrs Weasley as they were congratulated on finally discovering their fondness for each other. Mrs Weasley cleared her throat and everyone turned to look at her, waiting for something that seemed like it should have been very important.

"Right, dinner's behind schedule and Ron should be arriving home soon, as should Fred, quickly, quickly, I'm going to need all the help I can get."

Everyone laughed while they were each given instructions. Mr Weasley set the table and laid out knives, forks and glasses. Hermione helped Ginny peeling the vegetables for the dinner. George and Harry pulled out all the big pots and pans and together, eventually, got the temperamental stove to light. And Mrs Weasley got the huge piece of meat of the pantry fridge to prepare for the dinner.

Fred and Ron both arrived just as the beautifully cooked piece of beef came out of the oven and started to drool as the smell of it hit them hard. Placing themselves around the table, Hermione next to George, Harry next to Ginny, Mr Weasley on one end, Mrs Weasley at the other and Fred and Ron opposite one another, the dinner set itself on the mats that Mr Weasley had set out earlier. Mrs Weasley got Harry, Ginny and Ron to pass the cutting utensils down to Mr Weasley and he stood to cut the succulent piece of beef. Plates being passed round the table, everyone got huge amounts of meat before helping themselves to copious amounts of vegetables, sprouts, carrots, potatoes both mashed and roasted and parsnips were in big serving dishes placed periodically down the table and were passed about as people took however much they wanted.

There was general chit chat as people ate their dinner, talk of work, what had happened that day and what people were going to be doing with their evening. During the conversation it came around to Ginny's pregnancy, when she was due and what sex she hoped the baby would be.

"The Healer we went to see today said I was due around the 17th of May, if all goes to plan. We're hoping it's going to be a boy, it would be nice to have a son first, someone for Harry to teach flying and Quidditch to." Ginny smiled and squeezed Harry's hand under the table.

"Ooh, a spring birth, that'll be lovely. But aren't you worried that they'll be bullied at school? What with them being one of the youngest in the year?" Hermione fretted.

"No, they'll be fine, Harry was the youngest in his year near enough, and he was fine. Got to be something to do with the Potter gene we think, hope anyway." Ginny soothed.

"You're can be such a downer on things sometimes, Hermione." Ron mumbled through a mouthful or potato. In all the years he had been alive, he still hadn't mastered the art of table manners.

"Sorry, I just worry easily."

"We know." Ron sighed.

Mrs Weasley shot her youngest shot a glare that told him enough was enough and to leave the subject well alone. Conversation began to flow again and the subject of relationships cropped up. Bill and Fleur had moved to France to be closer to her family, but they visited often enough, big birthdays, Christmas and New Year and anniversaries. Charlie was still in Romania, but still single as far as his family was aware and Percy was constantly travelling with the ministry, still not fully comfortable with coming home that often after his intense betrayal. Fred was going steady with Angelina, a fellow Gryffindor classmate and loyal friend. In truth, much to the annoyance of his family, he refused to tell them how well it was going, but he gave George a knowing smile. Ron was keeping options open, so he claimed, even though Ginny knew different. Ginny and Harry were so obviously happy together, married and now with their first child on the way.

"Hold on a minute, what about you, George?" Ron asked, he had clicked that in over an hour no one had mentioned what his relationship status was.

"Well, um, it's kind of complicated right now." George blushed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Come on, what's going with you, you've obviously got someone in your life, or you wouldn't blush like that." Fred cajoled. "I know you too well to know that you can't hide something like that, you're always too proud of your conquests or girlfriends or whatever you have going to keep it quiet."

"OK, well, I do have someone special in my life, but it's early days and I don't want to jinx it." George appeased, trying not to let on it was Hermione. Everyone knew they had broken up for a good reason, but George didn't know if it was too soon for him to know that Hermione was dating one of his brothers. "All I will say is that she's an amazing witch, beautiful, smart and very kind and caring."

Hermione snuck one hand under the table and took hold of one of George's, giving it a squeeze. George squeezed back and Hermione was thankful that she had a bit more time to come to terms with her new taken status, as well as having more time to figure out ho to tell Ron.

*--*

After everyone had finished dinner, Harry and Ginny disappeared off home to put Ginny to bed, Harry noticing that she had become very tired during dinner, telling everyone that he didn't want her over exerting herself. Saying farewell they left arm in arm smiling and chatting as they walked down the lane in the early evening light.

Mr Weasley eased his wife into one of the comfier chairs in the living room and set the washing up going on it's own, before settling himself down on the arm of the chair and wrapping his arm around her. Ron hurried up the stairs to get himself showered and changed. He was going to take Lavender to a Muggle cinema to see a film that Hermione had suggested she may like. Unbeknown to the rest of his family, tonight he was also going to take Lavender to see a house and ask her to move in with him. He thought he had found the perfect cottage in the next village over from the Burrow. Not only would it give him space from his overbearing mother, it would give him independence and confidence to be his own person.

The rest of the house settled themselves in front of the unlit fire and listened to a wizarding radio station the elder of the Weasley's dozing off in their arm chair, their stomachs full of food. Fred arose about an hour later, rousing his mother and father and kissing them goodbye he Flooed back to his and George's flat above the shop.

"I think it's time we got ourselves to bed, dear. We're not as young as we used to be." Mrs Weasley rose from the arm chair and padded up the stairs, Mr Weasley following obediently.

After they were sure that the parents were asleep, George and Hermione scooted together on the sofa they had shared with Fred. Hermione smiled up at the man she admired, and he returned her smile with a goofy grin of his own.

"Hermione... I really do like you, you know that, right?"

"I know," Hermione laughed, "Ginny told me that you did. Although, I must admit that I didn't believe her until today."

"Really? That little match maker. I thought I'd told her in confidence. She told me that you liked me, she encouraged me to talk to you. And when I told her I couldn't, she was the one who suggested I make a gesture instead, that's where holding your hand come from, and the kiss before we came into the house."

"I can't believe her, I wouldn't call her a match maker after that, I'd call her a little minx." Hermione laughed, smuggling into George's chest.

"But, if she hadn't done that, we might not have been like this right now. I'd have been at the flat with Fred and most likely Angelina, trying to block out the noises they make when they're together, and you'd have been in your room with a book."

Hermione looked up at him and all she saw when their eyes met was love. She wasn't sure whether it was a brotherly love, the love like he would have for a friend, or love that was meant for a lifetime. George bent his head slightly and pressed his lips against Hermione's in a gentle kiss before pulling away again.

"I don't want to rush with you, Hermione. I want we have to last."

"I feel the same. I didn't think I would, but I think, knowing you for so long and being close to you over these last couple of years has made me realise that it's not always about dating while you get to know someone."

George hugged her to him and gently laid his head atop of hers, smiling inwardly to himself. He had everything he could have wanted, now all he needed was for Ron to be OK with it too before he told his family. He knew he wouldn't tell Hermione his inner most thoughts, but he knew that, although he had said he didn't want to rush with her, he would end up proposing to her within the year most likely. It felt so right to him to be with her, to be sat like this, and he knew she felt the same way, the way she relaxed into his arms, didn't tense when he pulled her closer, closed her eyes when he kissed her.

George lifted his head and stroked Hermione's hair with his hand, kissing the top of her head before replacing his head to where it had been before. He reached his hand lower and stroked her cheek, feeling the softness of skin under this own calloused skin. He felt Hermione's arm snake around his waist as she squeezed him tightly.

They were both so enveloped in that moment that they didn't hear the door open and close.

"What the fuck!"


	9. Chapter 9

AN I hope you're liking it so far, I think some of you think you're clever trying to guess who came home muhahahahaha

**Chapter Eight**

"What! The! Fuck!"

Hermione sat up so fast she head butted George hard in the face, bringing tears to his eyes and making his nose bleed. George brought his hand up to cup his stinging nose, feeling round for a tissue you to try and stem the bleeding.

"I thought so, I knew if I left and came back I'd find you like this. George is such a soppy git, I know he would have you all cuddled up." Fred laughed out loud, clutching his sides. "I don't think I could have got a better reaction either. Well, your secret is safe with me, I'm definitely off home this time. Night night children."

"I'm going to kill him!" Hermione fumed, turning round to look at George. "Oh my God! George, your nose!"

Hermione dashed into the kitchen and grabbed the roll of kitchen paper, bringing back to the sofa where George was still trying to soothe his stinging nose.

"Tilt your head forward and pinch the bridge of it sharply with your fingers." Hermione told him, holding a wad of kitchen roll to his nose, watching in horror as it soaked in seconds. Quickly she replaced it with another wad. "Hold this with your free hand."

George took the piece of paper from her and pushed it against his nose, watching while Hermione took her wand from her sleeve and whispered a spell, waving her wand at George's nose. George felt a tingling sensation then removed both hands and paper he sat upright. Wiggling his nose he smiled at his girlfriend.

"I didn't know you could do medical spells. Maybe you should be a Healer?" George suggested.

Hermione bent her head and sniffed. George took his none blood covered hand and gently took a hold of her chin, tilting her head up so he could look at her properly. There was a single tear slowly rolling down Hermione's face, which he wiped away with his thumb.

"What's wrong, baby?" He had wanted to say that for so long and it sounded so right, rolling off his tongue, though it would have sounded better had Hermione not been crying.

"I just, I just feel so bad, for, you know, head butting you." Hermione choked out, trying to hold back.

"Don't, you have nothing to feel bad for, I blame my idiot of a twin. He's always doing things like this. Come here." George pulled her into a big bear hug, enveloping her completely with his muscular arms.

"I'm sorry." Hermione whispered into his shirt.

"You don't have to be sorry. It was an accident, and you fixed me up right nice too." George smiled at Hermione's worried face and saw her muscles relax a little.

"I think I should go to bed now." Hermione went to stand up, but George pulled her back.

"Not without this you don't." And he kissed her soundly on the lips.

Hermione smiled and bade him goodnight before standing and heading to her bedroom, inwardly she was worried, but he told she didn't have to be, so she put on her best face for him. Once in her room she let the tears flow more freely. She'd only been with George a matter of hours and already she had broken his nose. Wiping furiously at her face, Hermione couldn't help but scold herself for being such a cry baby. She always had been and she always would be, but for once she knew it was just out of order.

Sitting on the bed, she though back over what George had said to her. Being called 'baby' had sounded so sweet and innocent and it had made her feel on a high, her stomach fluttering. That's what they called each other in films when they were in love, she'd never been called it by Ron, so maybe it was love for her and George. She also remembered that he had said that she should try for Healer. She'd never thought about it before, and as she focussed on the pros and cons of it she thought that it did make sense. Getting out a book from one of the now fewer boxes, she read up on what it took to be a Healer. She had all the necessary grades that she needed, and she knew she could keep calm under pressure, she had during the war. And taking care of people, well that was in her nature, she'd done all through school, looked after Ron and Harry, made sure that they were safe and at least toeing the line, even it was so very close to what she deemed to be too far.

Hermione changed into her pyjamas and climbed into bed, pulling the covers over herself she fell into a dreamless sleep.

*--*

Waking the next morning, Hermione headed straight to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, she looked more than presentable, so decided to just go and eat breakfast in her pyjamas, not feeling the need to get dressed too hurriedly this morning. Walking into the kitchen, she saw Ron, the biggest smile plastered across his face.

"Morning, Ron, you're looking overly happy this morning." Hermione smiled at her friend.

"Hermione, I've got to tell somebody. Lavender, she said yes!"

"You asked her to marry you!?" Hermione was taken aback by this sudden progression in Ron's relationship.

"No, I asked her to move in with me, I found the perfect little house in the next village, and I took her to see it last night. She fell in love with it instantly. I've just put an offer in on it. I'm making more than enough now to afford it outright and I just know it's where we'll have the perfect family life." Ron gushed, sounding more like a love sick puppy with every word.

"Wow, I mean, amazing. I'm so pleased for you." Hermione wrapped Ron in a tight hug, giving him a swift kiss on the cheek. "Is it a wizard house?"

"Oh, yes, there was an old couple in it before, but it go too much for them, it's got quite a bit of land with it, you see. So, it was put up for sale about three months ago, and I got straight in touch with the agent for a viewing. I knew straight away. He said he'd keep it on the down low for as long as he could and I couldn't believe it when she said yes. I'm so excited. This is the best day of my life."

"Then, seeing as everything is going so well for you, I have something to tell you." Hermione told him, steeling herself and sitting on a chair, gesturing Ron to take the one opposite from her. She wanted to put a barrier between them just in case he didn't take the news well. Ron sat and looked at Hermione expectantly.

"I've starting seeing someone," Hermione blushed, "He's so wonderful, smart, funny, attractive and he knows me, he treats me well. I've known him for a while, and you know him too. I wanted you to know before it all got out. There's only your mum, dad, Ginny and Harry that know. We wanted to keep it quiet to tell you first. I know we ended our relationship so long ago, but I still care for you and I don't want you to get hurt by this."

"Why on earth would I get hurt by it? Hermione, you're making no sense. If you're happy, why should I mind?" Ron was looking confused.

"Ron, it's George." Ron looked behind him, expecting to see George stood there. Hermione shook her head. "No, Ron, it's George I've started seeing."

And suddenly Hermione saw the look of pure joy evaporate from Ron's face. Instead it was replaced by a look of pure hatred.

"My brother, Hermione. You thought that the person best to date after me was my God damned brother!" Ron rose from his chair and paced the kitchen, a red spreading up from his neck, the muscles in face tense as though he was holding back.

"Ron, please?" Hermione pleaded. "I thought we were past this?"

"We were until you decided to bed hop my family."

"I haven't decided to bed hop your family. I've been looking at George in a different light recently, I've seen him for who he is, and I think that he is right for me. You know it too, Ron, it's just a shock for you is all. Do you have any idea how long it took me to move on from you. I thought it should have been us buying a house, having children, getting married. But we decided, mutually, that it was not meant to be. You know it wasn't, and I know too. You have Lavender now, please let me have George."

The softness in Hermione's voice said it all. Ron knew he was in the wrong, he knew she was right, it was over between them a long time ago.,

"I'm sorry, Hermione, like you said, it's a bit of a shock to the system is all. But I'm going to warn you now, if he hurts you, I'll let him have the full force of my wrath."

Hermione stifled a giggle behind her hand.

"What?" Ron demanded, the colour subsiding from his face.

"You, the full force of your wrath. You do know that George comes as a package, so you would be fighting Fred too?"

"Yeah, well, just so he knows." Ron skulked round the table and knelt next Hermione, wrapping his arms around her. "I do hope you are happy together, just give me some time."

Hermione smiled. "You can have all the time in the world, Ron."

George entered the kitchen just as Ron was leaving. Ron extended his hand to his elder brother and congratulated him. George, looking a bit bemused, walked behind Hermione and planted a kiss on the top of her head, startling her slightly.

"He took it well then?" George laughed.

"Better than I expected. I did think he was going to get angry at one point, but he softened. I think he realised that he couldn't hold onto the past forever and that he should focus on what a good thing he has with Lavender." Hermione looked George in the eye and smiled widely. "He knows that this is right for us. You want some tea?"

"Please."

Hermione stood and kissed George on the lips before walking over to the stove. George lifted his fingers to his lips. It felt as though he had just been shocked with electricity, and he was very aware of the fact that this was the first time Hermione had kissed him. Hermione had her back to George, and was blushing at the sink while filling the kettle, shocked at how forward she had been. She suddenly felt hot breath tickling her ear and neck and a pair of strong arms circle her waist.

"I love you, Hermione, I always have."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Nine**

Over the next couple of months, Hermione and George had little chance to see each other, George was busy in the shop working with Fred on a new joke and Hermione was attending baby showers and job interviews galore. Hermione had decided to take George's advice seriously and had been in touch with St Mungo's the week after he had first suggested it. They had asked her to come in and perform a few simple spells, concoct some basic potions and answer some personality questions. The spells and potions had been a walk in the park for the talented witch, but the personality questions had her worried beyond belief. What if she didn't answer correctly, or wasn't enough of a caring person, or even smart enough?

"Shhh, baby, everything will be fine." George had soothed on one of their occasionally free hours together. "There are no right or wrong answers, and it's not on brains, it's all on what kind of a person you are, and you are more than nice, caring and brilliant enough to be a Healer."

Since then, Hermione had been caught up in helping Mrs Weasley organise Ginny's baby shower, putting together the guest list and choosing the decorations and colour scheme. It was decided that only close friends and family should attend, and only females, there was no need for fame seekers coming just to hear about her husband, for this day was purely for Ginny and Ginny only.

There would obviously be Hermione and Mrs Weasley attending, with Ginny being led into the surprise, but they decided that Angelina, who would soon be a part of the family, Lavender, who was as much a part of the family by now as Hermione and Luna, the dizzy girl who had stood by Ginny and Harry all through the atrocity that was the war, would be the only others that would be invited. Fleur, unfortunately, still being in France wouldn't be able to make the frivolities, but had sent a very large, expensively wrapped present, that Mrs Weasley had had trouble hiding.

*--*

On the day of the shower, Harry kept Ginny at home, refusing to let her leave the house insisting that she needed the rest. She was three months pregnant after all, he had insisted, and he didn't want anything to happen to his first born child. Huffing, Ginny had sat in the house all day with her feet up while Harry had fussed over her. He had even taken the Saturday off work to make sure that she wouldn't spoil her surprise shower by going over to the Burrow unannounced like she usually did when she felt lonely.

Escorting her to the Burrow at the arranged time, Harry kissed his wife and Apparated away, saying he had to get some supplies from Diagon Alley for his Auror training. Approaching the Burrow, Ginny wondered out loud to herself why it seemed so quiet, and why everyone had been fussing over her and acting so weirdly, she was only pregnant, not terminally ill!

Entering the house without knocking, Ginny was aware that something was not quite right. Walking into the living room, she got the fright of her life when five females leapt out from their hiding places shouting 'congratulations' at her. Grinning widely, Ginny could feel tears pricking at her eyes as she saw banners, food and gifts magically appear before her eyes. Everything was a lilac and mint green, even the wrapping paper and icing on the mini cup cakes.

"Oh my, God!" Ginny gasped. "You didn't have to do all this for me."

Mrs Weasley scooped her only daughter into a smothering motherly hug. "Of course we did, I'm not going to let my first grandchild go unannounced and unappreciated."

"They could never be, not with a grandmother like you." Ginny smiled at her mum.

"Come on," Hermione gestured to one of the armchairs, adorned with lilac flowers, "Take a seat and just enjoy being the centre of attention for once." And she placed a mock crown on Ginny's head.

Passing round the mint green paper plates, Mrs Weasley couldn't help but smile, today was just one of many happy days yet to come. Ginny's wedding day had been in a dark world just emerging from war, and her mother didn't want her pregnancy to be passed over so quickly as well. Colour and light were what was needed now that the wizarding world was so happy and enlightened again.

Over the next hour, the six women talked fondly of Ginny and Harry, remembering embarrassing incidents and the coy way that their relationship had started. They talked about the past, the present and the future, landing briefly on Hermione's relationship with George and Lavender's house plans with Ron.

"Presents!" Lavender squealed when she had thought everyone was finished eating the delicious finger food that Mrs Weasley had prepared.

"Ooh!" Ginny clapped her hands together, reverting to a very childlike state, as though it was Christmas Day.

Receiving the first present, Ginny carefully opened the packaging. She had no idea who any of the presents were from as it had been agreed that there would be no tags on them. Laying the paper on the floor next to her chair, Ginny pulled out a tiny babygro set in a custard yellow. First came the hat, then three different babygro's in a mix of yellow and white, followed by a set of three bibs all made from the same soft material.

"I love it! It's so cute, I can't believe how small it is." Ginny gushed.

The next present was a Quidditch mobile to hang above the baby's crib, soft in colour, but lively with a mini Snitch that weaved it's way between a broom, two Bludgers and a Quaffle, and in and around three golden hoops.

"Oh wow. Harry's going to love this more than the baby, I think. And he'll be thrilled that someone else is trying to get his child interested in Quidditch." Ginny winked at Lavender.

"What?" Lavender blushed, knowing that it had been Ron that had persuaded her to buy it, and she knew that Ginny knew that also.

The third present was a very handsome looking teddy bear that growled when squeezed, not a frightening growl, but something more along the lines of a purr. Ginny squeezed it a couple of times, giggling at the sound.

"At least I'll know when they're coming and be able to run and hide." She laughed.

The next present passed Ginny's way was a little doll house, exactly the same as one that she had seen just after she had found out that she was pregnant. The only difference was that this doll house was ten times smaller than the one she had seen. It was made with the same soft, padded walls, mirrors where there should have been a skylight and touchy, feely things along the walls, things that made sounds and things that fitted though different shaped holes where there should have been windows.

"This is, um, great." Ginny looked confused, thinking that she would have no use for it.

"It's something that I found in a wizarding shop after you told me about the one you had seen in the Muggle shop. Only, this one, when the baby is born grows with the baby, so that in time it will become wooden and be able to be put outside as playhouse." Hermione told her, giving away who had bought the present.

"Oh, this must have cost a fortune, it's amazing!" Ginny smiled openly now she knew what it was and did.

The final present was a sturdy, yet delicate baby's cutlery and platter set, complete with knife, fork, spoon, plat, bowl and tippy cup. Each item had a picture and a sentence from one of Ginny's favourite childhood books.

"This is fantastic, it's perfect for a destructive baby."

"Now, Ginny, dear, this one is from all of us, we all chipped in and helped compile some things for you." Mrs Weasley smiled as she passed over a relatively small looking gift bag.

"Thank you so much, you've already out done yourselves."

"Go on, Ginny, see what's inside." Hermione urged, wanting to see her face.

Ginny reached her hand into the bag and found it was a lot bigger inside that the initial size gave away. Inside she could feel that there were many little things, as well as a couple of slightly larger items. First she pulled out a bottle of Firewhiskey, then a book of wizarding Karma Sutra, followed by a very intimidating looking vibrator.

"What on earth? I can't use these while I'm pregnant!"

"We know, dear, they're for when you've had the baby, some things so you can treat yourself and some things that will come in very useful to heat yours and Harry's sex life again." Mrs Weasley explained.

"Well, if everything else in here is along the same lines, then I think I should open them at home where I can avoid any further embarrassment." Ginny blushed a deeper red than her hair.

Everyone in the Burrow's living room laughed, giggling and cackling at the blush on Ginny's face, until her face suddenly fell. Her hands flew to her stomach and clutched, a single tear sliding down her cheek. Mrs Weasley leapt up and hurried over to her daughter, the worst scenario in her mind playing out in front of her.

"What is it?" Ginny's mother asked her as an eerie silence fell over the room.

"The baby." Ginny gasped. "I think, I'm not sure, but I think it just kicked."

The girls still seated suddenly jumped up and squealed, rushing over to Ginny, hugging her and wanting to feel for themselves. It was some while before Mrs Weasley managed to gain some sort of order in her home, shushing the other women and getting them seated again before Flooing Harry to come and get his elated wife. Picking her up half an hour later, Harry couldn't help but smile so widely he thought his face would split in half. Having packed everything into the deceptively small gift bag, Ginny bade everyone farewell and thanked them all for throwing her a beautiful baby shower, then left, being led by her protective husband, down the garden path and back to their house.

Before they departed, Luna and Angelina stayed back to help tidy up the Burrow before them men of the house came home. Lavender, on the other hand, insisted that she needed to leave and get herself ready for her date with Ron that evening, saying she also needed to pack some more, telling everyone that she had that many things that it would take her months to pack properly.

Once the house had been cleared up and cleaned thoroughly, Luna left by Floo and Angelina Apparated back to Fred's flat, promising to let George know that it was safe to come to the Burrow for dinner. Left alone, Mrs Weasley and Hermione set about making preparations for that evening's dinner.

"I hope to be doing this for you one day." Mrs Weasley sighed, turning to Hermione, who immediately began to feel uncomfortable for she knew where this conversation was going to be going.

"Um, well, maybe someday." She stuttered.

"You and George seem to make each other so happy, and you both need happiness right now. I just hope that myself and Arthur are making good role models for you younger generation."

"Of course you are, I've never been more happy, the magical world is where I belong, and trying to get my own mum and dad involved was so hard, they understood, but it was so daunting for them that they avoided it where possible. And now that they're happy in some foreign country, I need you and Mr Weasley more than ever. You've made me feel so welcome and such a big part of your family." Hermione hugged the older witch.

"You know you'll always be a part of the family, no matter whether it's by law or friendship. And you can call us Arthur and Molly, you have known us long enough." Mrs Weasley chuckled.

"Yes, Molly." Hermione winced slightly, the sound of Mrs Weasley's name so weird coming from her own lips after all these years of addressing her so formally.

Hermione was saved by George coming through the front door at that point, him striding over and taking her around the waist from behind and kissing her cheek.

"Go on, you've done more than enough today already." Mrs Weasley flicked the tea towel she was holding at the couple.

The pair went into the sitting room and cuddled themselves up on the sofa, kissing each other before settling down to talk about how the day had gone.


	11. Chapter 11

AN This is just going to be a shorty hopefully, it's delving into both Hermione and George's minds, and seeing what they feel when they are left to think on their own about their relationship. Sorry it's taken so long to update, but I got waylaid by another website, and I for that I apologise.

**Chapter Ten**

Something was niggling at the back of Hermione's mind. She and George had been dating for three months now and not once had the subject of sex been broached. She was unsure of whether she should be the one to confront it head on, or wait and just let it happen like it had with Ron. But, she reasoned with herself, Ron had been her first, and now she knew what sex was like, she didn't think she could wait for it to just happen. She was no stranger to pleasing herself in the late hours of the night after everyone else had gone to bed, but somehow, it wasn't as satisfying bringing herself to orgasm. She'd tried everything to make her masturbation sessions more enjoyable and more fulfilling, but she knew, deep down, that it took a real man to bring that deep down feeling of release.

What if the reason sex hadn't been broached was because George suddenly realised how wrong it was to want to be with someone his brother had already been with. Maybe he felt that she was tainted because she'd already slept with Ron, but surely he should have known that at her age and having been with Ron for such a length of time that she would certainly be no virgin. She wasn't experienced to say the least, she still knew nothing past basic sex positions and foreplay, and even then she felt like she had missed out on a lot of that too. Ron was a basic male who felt that sex was an experience that required only minutes of his time, who felt that once he'd got his pleasure it was over and felt that there was no need to experiment once you found something that worked for the couple.

Hermione had read enough erotic books to know that there was so much more involved in sex than just missionary. She'd read about long hours of gentle foreplay, building up to sex that was slow to start with, sex that got wilder and rougher. It was something she wanted to experience, but she just didn't know how to tell George about these thoughts. She suddenly felt about fifteen again, at the stage where sex was new and terrifying. She wanted to be confident, but it just wasn't a subject she felt she could be confident in. Ron had always told her that she was OK at sex, that sex was nice with her, but surely sex should be explosive, loving, amazing, breath-taking. There were so many words to describe sex, and nice just wasn't one of them.

Hermione suddenly recalled the time when Ron had made such a big deal out of her giving him head, that she'd done it even though she hadn't felt ready. He'd been going on and on about how he'd done it for her, so she should do it for him. It was one of the most humiliating experiences of her life, he wanted her to go on and on until she'd made him cum, then he'd told her to swallow it, even though he'd seen how she'd been gagging just licking him. Ron wasn't big in size, in anyway, it was the thought of something so dirty going in her mouth. Maybe this was why she had such an aversion to doing anything too out of the ordinary.

Hermione snapped out of her reverie and sat at her desk writing a list of pros and cons to confronting George. She knew that it would be a step up in their relationship, but then she could also be shot down and mortified for the length of the time she lived at the Burrow. Listing point after point on the pros, she found there were a fewer number of points on the cons than fingers she had on one hand. Shaking her head, she stood up and told herself that this needed to be sorted out, then she turned on her heel and walked with a distinct purpose out of her bedroom to the fireplace downstairs where she could Floo over George's flat.

*--*

George sat with his head resting on his hands and his elbows resting on his knees on the sofa in the living room. He was thinking hard, the process taking it's toll on his facial features. He was thinking about the one witch in his life who meant everything. He'd been with her for three months, and he was starting to get frustrated. He'd started having very dirty dreams about her on a regular basis, and it only reminded him of the fact that in their time together, he and Hermione had only shared a handful of passionate kisses. He knew it was because of their busy days, he inventing a new product, and she getting herself fully trained for St Mungo's.

But he couldn't help it, every time he saw Hermione, George's brain sprang into full erotic mode, remembering the curves of her body, the softness of her skin, the fullness of her lips, and then his imagination took hold and he could just see her naked on his bed, longing for him. He thought she was perfect in every way, but he knew she had always been quite self conscious about her body, maybe that was why they hadn't done anything other than kissing and running their hands over each others bodies.

He wanted her so much, wanted to feel her body under his, hear her moans and ragged breath. He knew that she hadn't had much experience with sex, Ron wasn't a great lover, and George knew this because his dear little brother had come to him for advice on how to please Hermione, which, George suspected, Ron hadn't took any thought about when he got down and dirty anyway. This made George confident that he could please Hermione beyond anything she had ever experienced before with just one little difference every time that they made love.

George's head was starting to hurt, and so was his heart. The thought that maybe they hadn't slept together yet was because Hermione had realised what a huge mistake she had made suddenly entered his head. Maybe she had snapped back into reality and seen George for who he was, Ron's brother. Maybe that was too weird for her, and it was only now that they had become comfortable with each other that the attraction had worn off and she had realised how disgusting dating two brothers from the same family would be, how decidedly strange it would be having sex with two brothers from the same family, albeit on separate occasions.

Listing out loud the reasons he should and the reasons he shouldn't have sex with Hermione, he realised just how stupid he had been. He loved Hermione like his life depended on it, and he knew deep down that she felt exactly the same way. Now it was just a matter of getting Hermione on her own in an empty house to show her just how much she meant to him. He wanted to undress her piece by piece and admire every inch of her, he wanted to kiss every part of her body, caress her skin in places he'd only imagined and then make love with her slowly, lovingly, he wanted her first time with him to be special and memorable, not a quick fumble.

Making up his mind, he went to lift himself off the sofa when Hermione swooshed out of the fireplace in front of him and coughed.


	12. Chapter 12

AN I do apologise for the lateness of this last update, but I have to wait for the chapter ideas to hit me before I can start writing. Enjoy :D

**Chapter Eleven**

George scooted round the coffee table to the soot covered Hermione who was laid across his hearth mat coughing and spluttering. Scooping his befuddled girlfriend into his arms, George walked back round to the sofa and laid her on it, sitting to her side, holding her hand and soothing her.

"You came flying out of there pretty quickly." George laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

"I couldn't wait and I think I twisted mid journey or something." Hermione tried to explain her sudden and unannounced arrival.

"That amazing, am I?" George wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Modest as usual." Hermione sighed, rolling her eyes at him, finally feeling like herself again. "I actually came over to talk to you about something that I think is very important for the development of our relationship."

"Wow, that sounds a bit serious." George stood and rubbed the back of his neck.

Hermione sat up properly on the sofa and giggled. "It's not as serious as you seem to think, but it is important none the less."

Looking slightly relieved, George sat next to his girlfriend. "Sourgify!"

"I could have done that!" Hermione said indignantly.

"I know you could, love, but you hadn't and you kept making me want to giggle all covered in soot." George smirked at her, regaining his serious side of brain now Hermione looked half decent.

"So, what I came over for is to talk to you about something that's been pestering me for weeks now." Hermione blushed, knowing that now was the perfect time.

"Ron's been pestering you again?"

"Oh, for Merlin's sake! Will you please be serious for one minute, this is hard enough for me to say as it is without you mocking me!"

"OK, OK, Hermione, I promise I'll be serious, now what was it that's got you Flooing over here so fast?"

"I've been thinking, and it occurred to me that we've never been more intimate than kissing." Hermione mumbled, blushing as red as her boyfriend's hair.

"OK, I think I know where you're going with this. I was going to come and see you tonight about it actually." George turned on an incline and took both of his girlfriend's hands in his. "We've both been so busy that we haven't been able to be with each other in a sexual way. Lord knows I've wanted to, so bad, but at first I thought it was because you didn't want to be rushed. I know you've only been with Ron and I didn't want to frighten you into doing something you weren't ready for. But then I saw the looks you were giving me when you thought I wasn't looking, looks that clearly said you wanted me too, if I'm not mistaken. Am I right?"

"Yes. I thought that maybe you had changed your mind about being with me, maybe seen me for what I actually was. I know I'm not the prettiest girl in the world, and I know I've been with your brother. I thought you might have found it weird being with a girl who had already been with your brother. I guess I just scared myself out of talking to you about it. But I want to be with you, George, so, so much, more than I wanted to be with Ron."

George's only response was to lean over and close the gap between their lips, capturing Hermione's in a kiss that was soft, but at the same time electrifying for both of them. George's hands moved behind Hermione's back to pull her closer to him, while Hermione's hands tangled themselves in George's hair as the kiss gained more heat and passion. Both mouths parted to allow their tongues to duel and taste, the rich chocolate taste of George mixing with the peachy taste of Hermione.

George groaned, kissing Hermione soundly one last time before pulling away.

"I don't want you to do something you later regret just because you were in the heat of the moment. He told her.

"If I didn't want to do something, I would tell you. I'm a big girl now and can make all my own decisions, and believe me, this is one big yes." Hermione giggled before pulling George back to her.

AN I know this is extremely short, but, I want to get it just right between Hermione and George, and I don't think they're ready yet. I shall figure it out, but some help would be greatly appreciated :(


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

The next few weeks passed in a flurry of engagement dinner invites and flower petals and baby clothes. Ginny's baby was due any day now and everyone was on tenterhooks, waiting for the Floo from Harry to let them know that she had gone into labour.

Hermione had been fluttering about doing this and that, finally finding a flat she liked and could live in. It was a little two bedroom affair with a large living room, complete with fireplace, a huge ornate, white fireplace that could still be used with wood and fuel. The master bedroom had the cutest bay window, complete with window seat that Hermione could see herself sitting on in the summer, reading her books. The bathroom had a Victorian style bath, deep, wide and long, perfect for long hot soaks or private time with George.

Having put in a winning offer on the flat, she was preparing herself to move in as soon as possible. What she didn't realise was that she had so much stuff, books, quills, parchment and the such like. Trying to pack was like trying to organise a rabble of school children. Even though everyone looking in thought that she was tidy and neat and organised, the truth was that if you looked closely, she was the most disorganised person anyone had ever known, every night she had to get everything she needed for the next day ready, otherwise in the morning she would be running around like a headless chicken!

Hermione knew that she would never be able to pack in time, so enlisted the help of the most organised person she knew. As she sat waiting, Hermione chewed her nails nervously. She knew that the person she had invited to help would shout and berate and probably have her own hoard of followers to help in the mass chore. Hearing the door to the bedroom open, Hermione looked up and saw a red faced Mrs Weasley, wand at the ready and the faces of three of her children peering from behind her. Percy, Charlie and Ron all looked scared out of their wits, obviously having been brought here under their mothers wrath, easier to go along with her than try and excuse themselves from it.

Waltzing into the room, Molly took full control from the word go, distributing tasks here and there, mostly the accio charm for filling the boxes with the right items. Ron had been landed with books, Charlie with ornaments and breakables and Percy with parchments and quills. Molly herself had taken on clothes and shoes, and left Hermione to sort her personals, her underwear and pyjamas and her shoes. And to Hermione's amazement, and to the boys amazement, all the packing, with the combined effort, was finished within two hours, at least a tenth of the time it would have taken Hermione to pack on her own. All that was left out was the essentials, her toothbrush and wash things, a few odds and ends left to one side that she would need as soon as she walked through the door of the flat. Now Hermione had to just sit and wait it out for the call from the estate agent to say that her keys were available to be picked up.

AN I'm having real problems carrying on with this story at the moment, any advice would be greatly appreciated. Once I've got inspiration, I'll crack on again, this story will get finished, I promise you.

Amy Charys :)


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